The Wilting Rose
by TheBlackParade21
Summary: AU where Adam joins Blake as she decides to abandon the White Fang and become a huntress. Will Adam become a true huntsman or will the evils of his past wilt him away?
1. To Absolve from Sin

**A/N: Hey everyone, Parade here with another story! Now I've always loved Adam as a character but almost never see any fanfics about him (which is normal since he's barely in the show...for now) so I decided to write my own! I literally thought of writing this about 15 mins ago in a burst of inspiration so please excuse the shortness of the Chapter. Also, this does not mean I will not be updating The Son of Sorrow. SoS will be updated regularly and if you want, this one too. Enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 1: To Absolve from Sin<p>

Adam sat in his seat as the hovership made it's ascension. He watched as the ground grew farther and farther away from him untill all that was beneath him was a sea of clouds in a world of light. The aircraft lurched forward and made it's way to Vale, away from his home, away from Vaccuo. And away from the White Fang.

As he looked out to the sea of clouds his mind drifted to a few weeks ago. He and Blake had been sent on a mission to capture and destroy a shipment of Schnee Company dust. He and her fought as they always had, a single unit of deadly speed and cunning. They weaved through the crowds of guards, bringing them down one by one as Adam sheathed and unsheathed his Katana with blinding quickness and accuracy, while Blake's whip sailed to and fro, shooting every target she aimed for, all of them falling dead with a hole in their head. It was Beastly and it was Beautiful.

It was then that something went wrong, something they had not anticipated. A giant mechanized behemoth came before them, shooting them with pulsating red lasers. He remembered the excitment he felt, the rush of battle coursing through him, charging his katana as Blake bought him time. He remembered the surge of energy blasting out of his sheathe as the technological terror released it's own, the two powers struggling against each other for dominance until Adam won out, the giant destroying before him.

And he remembered the look on his partners face as she apologized to him, a look of confusion on his face. He watched as she cut the lins that connected their two carts, hers rushing away from him. He saw himself leap toward her, refusing to leave her side, begging her to stay. He saw her pained look as she told him why she could never do that. He shook as head as he chose the next best thing. _If you won't stay with me_ he said. _Then I will go with you_.

"Hey, are you okay?" came a voice to his right.

He turned his head toward the voice. "Yea i'm fine" he said. "Just thinking as all".

Blake sat beside him and placed a steaming cup in his hand. Adam looked down to see she had brought him coffee. "About what?" she asked,

He took a sipped from his cup. It had the perfect amount of cream and sugar, with just a hint of hazlenut in it. Just the way he liked it. "Nothing important. Just the past as all."

Blake nodded and sipped from hers . "You're thinking about that day, huh? About whether or not it was the right decision?".

Adam sat silently for a while, staring out of the window. Finally he took another swig of his coffee and answered. "No, I know what we did was right. I'm just wondering whether or not our desertion is enough to absolve us of our sins"

Blake paled and look away. "I don't know Adam. I mean...we did some bad things in our past"

"Yea" said Adam. "I know"

The two sat in silence for the rest of the way, occasionaly drinking from their cups as they watched the other passengers, taking in their surrondings. They had opted for the very back of the hovercraft where they would be given the least amount of looks. From what Adam could see, most students were roughly sixteen to eigtheen year olds, though there was a fairly short girl with a red hood that looked to be younger then all of them. With her was a much taller busty blonde girl who was currently squeezing the red one to death.

From beneath his mask he rolled his eyes. _If I get stuck with one of those two I am going to lose my mind_ he thought.

By looking around he noticed there were more Fauni admitting to Beacon then he originally thought. In the corner to the fareast was a monkey Faunus eating a banana with his tail. He wore a loose unbottoned shirt, revealing his sharp abbed chest. He could tell, however, that he did not do this as a way of showing off, for his eyes seemed excited and his hands fidgety like a child. He made note to keep an eye on him.

There was also a shy looking bunny Faunus who sat opposite to the monkey looking nervous and slightly scared, her ears drooped slightly forward. She looked around nervously, as if she were hiding from someone, but from who he could not tell.

There were also many cat and bear Fauni, all of them standing in different little groups scattered across the airship. He also took note that all, if not most, were speaking with humans, reminding him they weren't as bad as the Fang and lead him to believe. He scowled into his cup.

Blake saw this and rolled her eyes, smiling at her friends annoyance as he attempted to adjust to respectiing humans.

After a while the hovercraft finaly made it's decent and he heard the distant sound of wet regurgitating from the end of the bus. He turned to see another blonde boy in white armor puke rinto one of the garabge bins. Adam turned his face from it and waited for the hatch to open. When it finally did he stood with Blake and walked over to the exit, getting off of the plane after hours of sitting.

The sight they saw stunded them. The gazed upon the immense castle that stood before them, surronded by gardens and fountains and statues of warriors. He rested his hand on the hilt of his weapon, anticipating that this was too good to be true. When nothing happened he dropped his hand, and turned to look a Blake who had the same expression of awe on her face.

"What IS the place?" she said stunned.

"This" said Adam, "Is our new home. This where I our new lives begin. This," he said as he paused to take another awe-inspiring look at that castle, "This is Beacon Academy".

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><p><strong>AN: Well I hope you guys like the first chapter of the Wilting Rose! Feedback is really appreciated and needed!**


	2. The Beginning of the Beginning

**A/N: It's late and I'm sorry but here ya'll go!**

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><p>Chapter 2: Beginning of the Beginning<p>

The two partners exchanged smiles and began to walk towards the looming castle ahead of them. By now the bridge was filled with students and their belongings, ready to start a new-or their first-year on the path to becoming hunters and huntresses.

_Hunter_ thought Adam. _I never thought I would ever associate myself with that title. They're supposed to be the heroes of our world, protecting the people-all people-from the threats that try to harm us. But all I've ever done is harm them, as if I were a Grimm too. Can I really become a new man? Is it really all that-_

"Adam" whispered Blake. "Look".

"Huh?" he said confused. "What are you-oh." His eyes followed her outstretched hand to a two students on the bridge. One of them was the short red girl from earlier though the blonde was nowhere in sight. With her was a girl who looked as pale as a ghost, her hair even more devoid of color with her clothing matching the style. Strapped to her side was multi-dust chambered rapier. By the symbol she bore on her clothing he confirmed who she was.

"A Schnee" he growled. His hand went to his Katana and he started towards them, before Blake put her hand to his chest.

"Adam...you can't kill anymore remember? You promised you would try to be more open to humans."

"I doubt you can give a Schnee that much credit. And besides" he said as she opened her mouth, "I'll be helping that little red human over there. consider this...practice" he said with an evil grin.

Blake considered this for a moment. "No fighting, okay?"

"I'll try my best" he tried walking again but was stopped by her hand once more.

"Adam" she demanded.

He took his hand off his weapon and raised them. "Fine, I'll go for the diplomatic approach."

She released him and he made his way towards the girls, Blake trailing closely behind.

"Hey I said, I was sorry princess" retorted the red girl to the Schnee.

"Heiress" said Adam as he approached them. "Though with all her wealth, I doubt that makes a differences."

"Wha-? said the red one. The Schnee stared at him with contempt.

"She's Weiss Schnee, heiress to Schnee Dust company, one of the largest producers of energy propellent in the world" said Blake

Weiss readjusted herself and grew a smug look on her face. "Finally some recognition" she said highly.

"The same company" Adam continued. "That has some questionable business partners and fairly shitty labor forces. Especially" he stroked his horns as he said this "on the Faunus".

Weiss grew angry and flustered once more. "What?" she shrieked. "How dare you! Oh the nerve you posses." She gave one last puff of haughty air, took the vial of dust from the red girls hand and walked away.

Adam smirked. "Dumb Schnee. We sure showed her."

"Uh thanks for your help. She was beginning to scare me" said the tiny red one.

Adam shrugged. "Whatever. She needed to be put in her place." He turned away to follow Blake who had already began walking back towards their things.

"Oh i'm Ruby Rose by the way and uh" she began as he started walking. "Hey wait, we have the same symbol."

He stopped and turned his head back to Ruby. "What?"

"Your symbol. It's a rose just like mine!" she said with an excited grin.

Adam then noticed she was right. She bore a rose at the hem of her skirt. Except...

"No" he said emotionless. "We don't"

Her excitement deflated. "What do you mean? They're both-"

"Your rose blooms and grows and comes alive" he said. "Mine Wilts and withers and dies". With that he continued his way to Blake, leaving the saddened girl alone once more. He was tempted to turn back and apologize but the barfing blonde boy from the ship had come to her rescue.

As he approached Blake she gave him a raised brow and a smirk. " 'Your rose blooms and grows and comes alive" he said. "Mine Wilts and withers and dies'" she repeated. "Really going for the mysterious damaged hero vibe?"

Adam chuckled and grinned. "Well it's a fun role to play. Besides, it'll keep people from talking to me. The less people that talk to me, the better. Easier to keep our cover that way"

Blake and nodded and looked away. "Yea I guess your right. Well, lets just go to the school, opening ceremony is about to start."

Adam nodded and they made their way to the school. Soon they would become students of beacon academy and be on their way to becoming hunters. The path to redemption.

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><p>After a rather brief but thorough speech from the Headmaster-Ozpin-the students made their way to a giant room where they would be sleeping for the night. Adam had set his sleeping back on the wall to the back, Blake doing the same of the girls side of the room. He stripped down to his black and red boxers and a black t-shirt, the combo seeming to be the one most of the boys-save vomit boy with his blue onsie-opted for.<p>

He sat back and leaned against on the wall. He looked over and saw that Blake was taking a break from her book to talk to Ruby and the blonde-he learned earlier was named Yang-and smiled. Blake was usually so reserved and quite with others. She really only opened up to him and that was initially done out her needing to due to his being her mentor. He was glad though when she began doing it out of trust.

"Hey Cow, why do you keep staring at your girlfriend over there? Miss her already?" said a humourous voice.

His eyes scrunched in annoyance under his mask. "What did you call me you lousy hu-" he stopped as he examined the source of the voice. "A Faunus?"

"Yep, sorta what the tail implies" he said as swished his monkey tail in front of him.

"The hell you insulting me about my horns then?" he said with dying anger.

The monkey was taken aback. "Whoa, who said I was insulting you? I mean you are a Bull Faunus right?"

"Well yea, but that doesn't mean you have to call me by my species." said Adam.

"Ah sorry dude, didn't mean you any harm. Oh, I'm Sun by the way, Sun Wukong", The monkey Faunus extended his hand to the sitting bull Faunus.

Adam considered him for a moment. He wore a gold crescent pendant around his neck that lay flat against his white t-shirt. He wore light blue pajama shorts and wore a kind, eager face as his hand remained outstretched in the open air. Finally Adam raised his hand shook it.

"Adam Taurus" he said. Sun grinned and sat next to him.

"So, you missing your girl eh?" he said mischievously.

Adam looked at him with slight annoyance. "She's not my girlfriend. I've been her mentor for...a long time as all"

"Oh I get that, I get that. Sorry for bothering you by the way, I just thought since you were sitting alone you might want some company and all."

Adam shrugged. "Being alone isn't the same as being lonely. But I appreciate the thought."

Sun smiled. "Not a problem" he rose and stretched his arms and back. "Well, i'm going to go get some shut-eye. Big day tomorrow eh?"

Adam nodded slightly. "Yea, I guess so."

"Well, g'night then Adam" he said as he walked to his sleeping bag towards the middle of the room.

"You too Sun." said Adam. He crawled into his bag as the lights went out. tomorrow would be the day that decides the course his future would take. tomorrow would, in many ways, decide which people will help shape him into the man he hopes to be. He laid awake for most of that night, until finally, he drifted to darkness.

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you guys enjoyed the Chapter and sorry for any grammar/spelling errors, had to edit quickly since my laptop is dying. Questions, Comments, and REviews are appreciated,. Follow/Fave is ya like where this story is a-goin**


	3. Initiation Day Part 1

**A/N: Holy shit it has been a looong time since this has been updated. My deepest apologies for that. There are MANY factors as to why this is but the main reason is this: I had no idea what I was doing with it. I started this story on a whim at half past midnight about 15 minutes after the idea came to me, so I had absolutely no idea what to do after the first 2 chapters. Thankfully, however, I have recollected my thoughts and am now ready to continue the tale of one of my favorite RWBY character, so let us begin!**

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><p>Chapter 3: Initiation Day Part 1<p>

Adam woke the next day without much comfort. He had gotten little sleep the night before, worried about what the day will bring. If he and Blake didn't end up on the same team, there was no telling what may happen to the duo. He worried over what may happen to her if she was surronded by humans, especially when she still felt insecure about people knowing her faunus nature. He silently swore to himself he would help her get through this.

He stretched his arms and his legs, bending his back like a cat as he cracked the joints around his body. He straightened his mask and put on his clothes, buttoning a single button on his overcoat. He put his hand to his sheath and grabbed empty air.

_Right, it's in the locker_ he thought. With a sigh he made his way to the door. Everyone was still asleep for the most part, a few snoring and some just beginning to wake groggily. He rolled his eyes beneath the mask and continued to walk. Waiting for him there was-

"Blake?" he said.

"You're five minutes late" she said. "Already becoming lazy are we?"

Adam smirked. "You're one to talk. You didn't even put your bow on right."

With a yelp she quickly readjusted it before anyone woke up. Adam sighed at this.

"Blake..." he started.

"Adam please just...we'll talk about it later okay?" she pleaded.

"But you shouldn't have to hide what you are. Be proud of it. Who cares about what those pathetic hu-" he stopped himself and breathed. "what people think of it?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Let's just discuss this later. Please? For me?".

He wanted to protest but he knew she wouldn't let up. Blake always kept things to herself and wasn't much for self expression. She opened up almost no one, and even when she did she only opened a little. He hoped this school would change that.

After a long pause he finally nodded. "Okay. For you.".

Blake nodded. "Thank you". And with that they, turned and made their way to the lockers.

It had been another hour and a half before the other students filed their way into the locker room. Most had simply grabbed their weapons and headed out the door but some-like Adam and Blake-decided to stay behind and survey the remaining competition.

The Schnee-Weiss-was eagerly speaking to Pyrrah Nikos, a popular competitor in live gladiator matches. Adam was impressed. He had never seen a celebrity behave so kind and humble, especially to the blonde kid Juane who was now attempting to flirt with her. _Guess even humans have their good apples..._thought Adam. Meanwhile, Ruby was whining to her sister about not wanting to make friends. For a talkive girl, she sure was anti-social.

"I'm heading to the airship, okay?" said Blake from his left. He turned to her and nodded.

"Good luck" he said.

"Thanks, you too" she said. They looked at each other for a moment and a silent agreement passed between them. They gave each other a silent nod and Blake turned toward the exit, reassured. He waited for a few minutes before turning towards the exit but found his path blocked by none other than-

"Hey Adam, whats up?" said Sun. He was wearing the same clothes he wore on the plane, but at his side was a blue haired guy in a...suit thing?

"This is my friend Neptune Vasilias. I thought i'd have him say hi before we start initiation." he said eagerly.

"Wassuuup" said Neptune with a winning smile. From what Adam could tell, he was your typical cool-guy human. He wore a fine velvet suit that resembled a valet driver with a silver gun handle showing from behind his back. Atop his sea blue hair were yellow goggles.

"Hi. Um sorry but I need to go to the airship. Almost time to go and whatever." said Adam. He really wasn't in the mood for meeting new people. Or any people for that matter. _Gosh I'm turning into Blake_ he thought.

"Oh yea sorry. We should get there too Neptune, let's go." said Sun. And with that, the three boys made their way towards ships that would take them to the Emerald Forest, to the begining of their tomorrows.

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><p>After a quick five minute flight, the students, along with professors Goodwitch and Ozpin, were dropped off at the peak of a plateaued hill. The students stepped one by one onto metal plates and listened as the professor explained how the initiation process works. Adam was barely paying attention.<p>

"Your partners will be the first person you make eye contact with in the forrest" said Ozpin loudly, catching Adam's interest.

_What...WHAT?_ he thought. _The first person you see? But that means the odds of me and Blake becoming partners are so slim!_ His mind instantly filled with worry about whether or not him and Blake were going to be on the same team, let alone partners. What it mean would for their secret if they werent. What it would do to their _friendship_.

Adam shook that last thought off._ No Blake is better than that. She would never abandon me for_ _being on a different team, as neither would I _he thought_. I promised her as much. __Still... it'd be whole lot better if stick together. I hope I'm able to find her in time._

"You will figure out you're own landing strategy. Now any questions?" continued Ozpin. Landing strategy? Adam looked down and grinned. _Oh this is fucking perfect_ he thought. He took his stance with his body leaning forward and his hands on Wilt and Blush. He took one last look at Blake and winked beneath his mask. Blake, knowing his winks by his facial movements, smirked and readied herself as well.

"Good" said Ozpin. In a matter of seconds he heard the first sounds of the plates as students began catapulting through the air. In an instant Adam was airborne and in the next he was preparing his strategy, a maneuver he had done many times on missions for the Fang. He closed his eyes and began to focus his semblance, confident the amount of time in the air would be enough to charge it. He sailed across the treetops of the Emerald forrest as the dye on his hair and the symbols on his jacket began to glow white-red. Just and he was about to slam into the massive branch of an oak tree, he quickly unsheathed his sword half-way as the blade began absorbing all the energy of the impact, suspending him in mid-air. After a few seconds, he simply dropped to the floor and landed gracefully on his feet and resheathed the blade.

"Thank you very much my dear tree, but I can't walk around the forest looking like a lit candle. So," he said as he approached the tree. "I bid you, _adue_". He sliced the tree across it's bark as the energy from the impact flowed from Adam's body and into the Oak. At first, nothing happened. Then, as if the tree were a rose, the bark and the leaves and branches wilted into into a flurry of rose petals, flying off into the wind. He grinned and turned in the other direction, prepared to leave when he heard a loud thump from behind him.

"Owww" came a girl voice from behind him. He made the mistake of turning around. Sitting in the pile of rose petals was the bunny faunus from the plane ride. She looked up at him the stared at each other eye to mask. The realization of what had just occured to him hit him like a punch to the gut.

_No...no no no no NO!_ he thought. It had only been 2 minutes in and he already found a partner. And it wasn't Blake.

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><p><strong>AN: Welp, I hope you guys enjoyed the long awaited chapter for The Wilting Rose! Hopefully updated will be more frequent from henceforth. Follow/Fave if you like the story and leave a review to let me know how I did!**


	4. ANNOUNCMENT

**Okay I am so so so sorry this isn't an actual chapter but I need to make an announcement. I am currently typing this off my phone (fyi). Now exactly one month ago I got in serious trouble over grades, resulting in me losing both my cellphone and my laptop. I very recently got ungrounded. I continued typing the stories starting a week ago but I ran into an issue: my laptop got completely fucked up and I lost the chapters I was hoping to upload on christmas. I am very sorry I wasn't able to get those out but hopefully tomorrow i'll be able to redo them seeing as I got my old desktop up and running again! Very sorry for the delay and hopefully we will be able to continue both stories! ~TheBlackParade21**


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